Angie Tester - Christian values

In reading about where the parties stand, I would liked to have other issues included - such as "rainbow" politics, so called Safe Schools, etc.

Yes, the economy, jobs, health and environment are important issues, but so is the erosion of family values in this country. The traditional Biblical family underpins society and with its unravelling, we cannot expect children to grow up with the same foundations and security as I did, even if things like the economy are doing well.

What sort of confused world will future generations see? I want to vote for those upholding traditional Christian values of marriage only being between a man and a woman and the scrapping of policies leading to the destruction of traditional values.

Those struggling should be helped and supported but such serious life changes are too life-altering to be dealt with as a child at primary school.

I also want to see our veterans and farmers come higher up the list of priorities than immigrants. Help our own!!

32
Comments

Anthony Lang

Come off it, Weary! That's an unfair comment in regard to Angie's concern - especially calling her concern a 'platitude.' What an attitude! She sounds a gorgeous gal to me. Thirty years' DFRDB should result in a comfortable retirement for you; if you're sick or injured through military service you should have a white or gold card. There's lots of organisations within and without the Defence Force to look after specific needs. No one forced you to sign on the dotted line for thirty years. What do you expect Angie to do for you? Be thankful for her concern, which is a lovely attitude to have for us old diggers.
Weary, I'd suggest that wallowing in self-pity is not the way to go. Change your name to 'Happy' and go out and get a good life.

Cameron

Nice to see some sense in the mire of political correctness Angie

Weary

Angie, I am a veteran with three decades of service. Your platitude that we should help veterans and the homeless before refugees is quite insulting. All I was offered when faced by homelessness due to illness was thoughts and prayers by your fellow christians. They did not help one bit. Your faith's concern for veterans over those from overseas who have suffered at the hands of the various religions in this world is far too late.. Homeless veterans and refugees are the result of the same problem. Religious beliefs being used as the reason to oppress, kill and subjugate. I would offer you some words from the KJB to ponder
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:17-18
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Exodus 22:21
Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Exodus 23:9

AR

Life is simple: men don't marry men, women don't marry women, children need a mother and a father and sex education in schools is exclusively heterosexual.
Australians are accepting and respectful of homosexual and lesbian relationships and communities; it's about time for the respect to be reciprocated.

Chris May

The definition of marriage affects everyone, because marriage is a public event resulting in a socially sanctioned union to be respected and recognised by us all. If marriage was to be redefined to sanction homosexual relationships then all of society is forced to accept something which is inherently sinful. What consenting adults do in private is between them and God, but please do not put others in the position of having to pretend to accept something which is wrong. This would be another step along the path towards the degradation of God's plan for human sexuality along the lines of sex before marriage, de facto couples, and organised adultery Web sites. Homosexual activity is not the worst or only sexual sin, but that doesn't make it right. We all have struggles and weaknesses, but dealing with them by saying "I was born this way" is just avoiding the issue. Imposing this ethos on the whole community by redefining marriage is a step too far.

Anthony

Why would anyone want the way we are governed to be according to a mythical fantasy .....sorry that should have said religion! god doesn't exist never has and never will, you aren't going to heaven and gays aren't going to hell so get over it and let everyone have equality.

LeHoa Lam

Hi Angie,
Thank you for standing for your Christian values! I'm a Christian too converted from "ancestor-worship, based on Confucius & Buddhism" I've thanked God and praise Him for all that He has done, is doing and will do in my life. I will continue to hold close to my Christian belief & Pray ferventedly for this country of ours and for our Government!
I hope that you will too :-)
May The Lord, Jesus Christ, who s our Saviour and Almighty God bless you and keep you :-)
LeHoa Lam

Nic

We all have to be the same as you Angie.....and submit to your beliefs because you have the answers..........intolerance not tolerance, causes conflict.

Gavin

Hopefully the government will remove its role in marriage registrations altogether.
We have too many laws against actions which are not detrimental to anyone but the person who commits them.
Christian values are mostly about sticking your head over your neighbours fence and telling them how bad they are but now is the time it should stop.

Tristan Roberts

"We must never forget the Christian foundations on which our country was founded on"
This country was NOT founded on Christian foundations. There were people living here long before the first fleet brought christianity to our shores! And as it so happens section 116 of the constitution rules out establishing a religion or enforcing religious observance by the Commonwealth. Modern Australia will be a secular nation.

Craig

In regards to safe schools, the program is important in ensuring that people can come to terms with their own sexuality and not be bullied about it while they do. Learning empathy is always good and hearing people's story is a great way to do it. However, legislation and a federal parliament are unlikely to be the best place to make such determinations.

Jed

Ahahahah "I also want to see our veterans and farmers come higher up the list of priorities than immigrants. Help our own!!" ... so, not really very Christian then get Angie.

Ian

We should all follow values that have been proven to bear good fruit for millenia.

Sean McDermott

I believe that in a democracy we need to allow everyone the opportunity to contribute to any debate. While we live in a secular society and there should be a separation between religion and state, that separation should not be used to gag the religous from voicing their opinion. Too often these days people are being attacked and insulted because they are religous, rather than debating the merits of their argument.

Jonathan

Our country was founded on the principle of getting the thieves and pickpockets as far from the motherland as possible, as well as on the principle that non-whites had no legitimate claim to the land they had tended for tens of milennia before Christ was conceived.

Martin

Why should we not have a plebiscite ? Obtaining the views of the population is a democratic exercise. If there are Australians who adhere to the traditional view of marriage, why should their views be silenced , as is happening today. If you say you don't agree with gay marriage, you are at a severe disadvantage in many fields , especially politics. Have a plebiscite and then talk about marriage equality based on the results
( although non binding, I know)- what are marriage equality 'activists' afraid of ?

Brad

Christian Values have had their opportunity to lead community governance and mores. It's known as "The Dark Ages".

Gordon

Angie Tester: It was the traditional biblical family (which included a preacher father) that I was raised in that abused me physically, sexually, and psychologically – a terrible advertisement for your idealised "marriage". That has proven itself to be a gross failure. Time to abandon your fantasy.

Esther

Is very interesting how some people argue about Christians imposing religion values upon non believers without realizing that we also have rights in this country to express our views and that we are the ones that are been forced upon to change our entirely way of life just to satisfy such a small percentage of the population. Real christianity is not just about a belief of some sort on the contrary it is about believing in The One that also gave His life even for those who don't believe in Him. We don't hate LGBT but they need to understand that they are the ones imposing their belief upon us. Where is the equality and fairness for us all. God bless.

Dumbfounded

"help our own" first?? Yup, that's a Christian value. NOT!

Sharon

I do not want your Christian values. I do not want ANY religion telling me what to do.
'Christian values' had people burned at a stake for being heretics. Your religion is NOT the Australian way of life. I firmly reject your values.
Keep the church and the state separate, always!

Chris Green

I'm not Christian (or any other religion). While I respect everyone's right to follow whatever faith they want, we do live in a secular country where I would hope 'traditional Christian values' are not forced upon everyone, the same as I would not want to see traditional Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist values dictate our laws and customs. If you are a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh or whatever else, by all means live your life according to your faith but do not expect the rest of us who do not follow your religion to have to live the same way (although we all should respect the fact that your faith plays an important role in your life). Religion and politics need to be kept separate.

Tom

Why did you not thank Katey for her much more humanely felt,response, than Geoffrey's shallow quotation of a biblical verse.d

Brendan crotty

Our country is Aboriginal in origins with Christians being a very recent addition. We are now multi faith with secular legislation (for good reason). Leave religion out of it. Jesus said to pray in silence. Keep living your Christian life and let others live theirs. As long as we all love each other then live and let live.

Garry

And so many children that have a "loving" mummy and daddy are greatly mistreated, abused, sexually molested by daddy, left alone and hungry while mummy plays the pokies, and sometimes in extreme cases killed. Yes absolutely having a "loving" mummy and daddy covers all that up because it is ok by god. These loving "mummy and daddies" also think Australia will go straight to hell if gay marriage is allowed. Marriage is about the love of two human beings nothing more nothing less.

Fiona Hulme

Angie, which version of the Biblical family do wish to support, the one with multiple concubines? Where fathers kill their children to prove their faith. No of course not. Do you suggest the death of adulterers? No. Then in that case you are exercising personal freedom to interpret the bible. As I see you have with refugees (immigrants). You may have a different version the bible, but I clearly remember our duty to the poor, the destitute, and to treat others kindly, all others. Above all the bible teaches love. So please remember white Americans used the bible to stop non-whites from marrying, now you want to stop us from doing so.
As for your concern for famers and veterans, I share concerns , but have you thought about the massive economic benefit of thousands and thousands of gay marriages? The last census showed 30,000 gay couples (under called because it was so hard to work out how we had to fill it out), assume a mere 5,000 marry in the first year, and that we a much, much more frugal than the heterosexual average (and don't go big gay and flamboyant) and spend $20k per week you have 100,000,000 in the economy in the first year alone.
Angie,
When you are making love, not hate and violence your enemy I think it is time to rethink.

John

Yes there certainly should be freedom of religion but to say that religion must never be considered in a political debate ignores the nature of religion. My Christian beliefs motivates me in every aspect of my life and my political views no less than any other. My religion teaches me to be tolerant, compassionate, charitable, kind and generous. That then drives my politics as it would to anyone who was religious. It is part of who I am and if you were to remove my religion from me you would remove part of who I am. If you were to remove my religion I would not be who I am. Ask any politician who has religious beliefs and you would find that they say the same thing. Freedom to believe means that I am free to exercise my religion in any way that does not violate the law. To say that I may not express my views as a Christian is denying freedom of religion and denying freedom of speech.

T.M

didn't Jesus tell us to love our neighbour, all our neighbours? Im pretty sure he didnt say "love so and so first and so and so less"

David

religion should not play a aprt in politics. the freedom of religion is definely a right that all should have. but it should not be a political issue.

Katey

Unfortunately we live in a secular society, but dont worry because there is a good reason for that. It allows for change and adaptation. Also if you really think about it, gay marriage and gender fluidity actually HELP with christian values because more people will get married and people in a straight christian marriage wont actually be effected at all. And children will learn true love and acceptance of people no matter who they are, gay straight, cis gendered or trans gendered, and that is the true message of the bible. We have won little from suppressing gay marriage and punishing transgender people, all it has caused is confusion, hatred and suffering. It has not stopped anyone from being gay and it hasnt stopped anyone suffering. And it certaintly has not made straight christian couples any more well off. We can still maintain traditional christian values of love, marriage and acceptance while stopping others from having to suffer through our hatred and rejection of them. Although you are worried about losing the foundations of our society, remember that love and acceptance is a more important foundation that petty things like gender issues. We straight people dont have to be threatened by the rainbow community our lives will not be effected by the such differences and our children will not suddenly turn gay or trans just because they learn it is ok to be gay or trans. This is actually something engrained deep within their being since birth and it cannot so easily be dissuaded.

Angie Tester

Thank you so much Geoffrey :) Always go back to the Scriptures.

Geoffrey Lapthorne

We must never forget the Christian foundations on which our country was founded on. Righteousness exalts a nation, Proverbs 14: 34.